It's safe to say Paul Hollywood grew up on staple English foods like sticky toffee pudding, Scotch eggs, jam roly-poly, and beans on toast. And while Americans may think barbecue-less beans with a light tomato-based sauce piled on toast sounds just plain weird, many Brits are similarly perplexed by the idea of a peanut ****** er and jelly sandwich. Hollywood is one such Brit who used to think PB&J seemed like an unusual pairing — until he tried it, that is.
The renowned baker and television personality told Mashed that, while he had been curious about peanut ****** er and jelly sandwiches, having heard about them in movies, he didn't grow up with them and remained skeptical. "I was always like, 'What are you crazy? That doesn't go together,'" he said. He'd had both spreads separately before but only had them together when someone on "The Great British Bake Off" made him a peanut ****** er and jelly sandwich. Hollywood didn't fall in love with the sandwich but dubbed it "all right." At least he can now see the appeal of the beloved sweet-and-savory combination. Perhaps he'd be more fond of Ina Garten's elevated PB&J.
Read more: 10 Nostalgic Sandwich Chains That Are Slowly Being Forgotten
Matthew Ashmore/Shutterstock
So, peanut ****** er and jelly didn't wow Paul Hollywood. But one sandwich the "Bake Off" judge does love is an egg and cress, another traditional British favorite often served with afternoon tea. The simple sando features creamy egg salad and peppery watercress nestled between slices of soft bread. But there's one thing he thinks his favorite sandwich should have in common with the average American first-grader's PB&J. In a short video shared on Facebook, Hollywood declared that he prefers to upgrade tea sandwiches by cutting the crusts of his bread off. The celebrity chef also mentioned that he enjoys a ham and cheese sandwich on a crusty baguette as well as a steak sandwich with rocket (aka arugula) on focaccia bread.

#sandwich #jelly #paul

Fans ripped into a wasteful umpiring call and the Red Sox for exhausting their ABS challenges early, which led to DH Adley Rutschman being struck out on a low ball during the series finale against the Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday. The viral moment happened in the top of the sixth, with Boston trailing 7-3.
On a 1-2 count, Pirates LHP Hunter Barco threw a low pitch that clearly missed the strike zone but was still called a strike by the home plate umpire, much to Rutschman's shock. Because there were no challenges left, Boston couldn't request a review, and the game resumed with the next hitter coming to the plate from the deck.
Watch the video here:
"Adley Rutschman strikes out on a pitch at his ankles as the Red Sox are out of challenges."
Adley Rutschman strikes out on a pitch at his ankles as the Red Sox are out of challenges
by
u/Sandwich_Crust in
baseball

#pirates #strike #plate

Sandwiched between Big Ten media days and the start of the college football season are not only preseason camp at Ohio State, but also most of the preseason watch lists for all the awards are released.
We've heard from quite a few of the organizations that release these sorts of things, and almost always, there will be a little scarlet and gray flair to them, and that's exactly what we are seeing. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is handed out by the Football Writers ****** ociation of America to the best defensive player in college football annually, and two Ohio State players were among the names appearing on its preseason watch list.
Defensive back Jaylen McClain and defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. were the two Buckeyes who made the cut, and for good reason. McClain has a tremendous upside and is getting a lot of preseason buzz for what he might mean for the back end of the OSU defense this year. He wasn't one of the main stars of the defense last year but has experienced playing time and should be one of the main playmakers in 2026.
It was welcome news when Jackson decided to come back for one more season rather than enter the NFL draft. He'll be counted on to come off the edge as a pass rusher and run stopper and was a handful toward the tail end of the season. He only tallied 16 tackles, including 6.5 sacks officially, but he was consistently getting into the backfield last year.
Only two Ohio State players have won the Bronko Nagurski. James Laurinaitis (2006) and Chase Young (2019) took it home despite the Trophy being around since 1993. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be announced during an awards banquet on December 7.

#trophy #only #defensive

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 09: Atletico Madrid players pose during the preseason friendly match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 09, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid enter 2026/27 without their all-time top scorer Antoine Griezmann, replacing him not with one successor but with a reshaped attack built around a group of returning World Cup winner and three new signings.
After a preseason campaign which saw Atleti crash to consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Manchester City sandwiched in between wins over Getafe and Marseille.
Los Colchoneros now look to build on last season's fourth-placed finish, a joint-worst performance since Diego Simeone's debut season in 2011/12. 2025/26 compensated with thrilling cup runs to the final of the Copa del Rey and semifinal of the UEFA Champions League, but ultimately left the squad empty-handed for a fifth consecutive season.
Simeone remains the most tenured manager in Europe's top five leagues, and the calculus around him has not changed: Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season, secured Champions League qualification, but fell in the semi-finals to ***** nal after a topsy-turvy continental campaign.

#season

Newcastle United will enter a new era this season with Matthias Jaissle replacing Eddie Howe, and the German will have several competitions to navigate despite the Magpies missing out on European soccer following last season's 12th-place Premier League finish.
After learning of their EPL opponent on opening day — Liverpool at St. James' Park on Aug. 23 — the Magpies now also know their first Carabao Cup foe.
Newcastle has been drawn at home against Championship side West Bromwich Albion in the second round of the EFL Cup, with the tie scheduled for the week beginning Aug. 24 and the game sandwiched between the clash with the Reds and a game away at Tottenham.
The exact date and kickoff time have yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to take place on Aug. 25 or Aug. 26.
Newcastle entered the competition at this stage because it is not involved in European competition this season. The Premier League clubs participating in Europe, including defending Carabao Cup champion Manchester City, will join in the third round.

#newcastle

Florida State football held its second preseason scrimmage on Sunday, Aug. 9, at Doak Campbell Stadium.
It was the second scrimmage of the week for the program, with the first one coming on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The two scrimmages were sandwiched between the program's annual trip to Jacksonville to practice at the University of North Florida.
Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell said the team ran "around 100 plays" and he felt it was a "good day" for his unit.
"I thought it was a good day for practice 10, to see the installation, the situations," Norvell said in a Zoom after the scrimmage. "We had a little bit of a two-minute there at the end, seeing guys work. I thought overall, there was a lot of great film that we're going to be able to evaluate from."
Here are three takeaways from the scrimmage.

#norvell #second #practice #doak

It was set up to be a solid pitching matchup, with Astros SP Peter Lambert (entered game with 3.06 ERA) and Padres SP Michael King (entered game with 3.45 ERA) taking the mound today. Those two held up their end of the deal for a terrific matchup today at Petco Park.
The Astros offense, however, did not.
Houston's bats were held to just 5 hits while striking out 11 times in a game they were able to muster only 2 runs, as the fell to the Padres in San Diego 3-1.
Houston scored it's first run on a solo HR by Taylor Trammell in the 2nd. Trammell's 7th HR of the season tied the game at 1 after San Diego scratched a run against Lambert (L, 8-6) in the bottom of the 1st. It was the only run King (W, 7-8) would allow.
Two walks in the first inning sandwiching a hit let to a sacrifice fly by Jackson Merrill to score Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first to give the Padres the lead. Trammell's solo HR answered that run to tie the game at 1.

#Padres

The Chicago Bears were back at Halas Hall for their seventh practice of training camp on Wednesday, where they conducted a non-padded practice after two intense padded sessions.
Overall, the 90-minute practice had a walkthrough feel, according to the media, following Tuesday's intense session that featured live periods. But the pads are set to come back on tomorrow ahead of a rest day Friday. Still, there were a couple notable observations from Wednesday, including quarterback Caleb Williams bouncing back with a strong 7-on-7 session, including an unlikely connection that made the catch of the day (or even training camp). There was also more clarity on the left tackle battle, and Chicago welcomed back a key defender.
Let's recap Day 7 of Bears training camp:
Lighter practice before the pads come back on: After back-to-back days in pads, including an incredibly physical and intense Tuesday session that featured several live periods, the Bears were in shells on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's padded practice. It only last 90 minutes compared to yesterday's two-hour session. According to Brad Biggs, there was a heavy red zone focus and there was "almost a walk-thru pace to much of the action." Courtney Cronin noted that "the few team periods they did were all half-speed." Biggs also added that "there weren't a lot of plays run at any speed to evaluate," noting it was a "lighter day that will be sandwiched between more intense practices."
Caleb Williams was sharp: Following a rough padded practice on Tuesday, quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense bounced back during a light, non-padded session. Williams was incredibly sharp during 7-on-7 work, where he completed 9-of-10 passes, according to Courtney Cronin. But it was receiver Kaden Davis who made the best catch of the day with a one-handed, laid out grab, per Chris Kwiecinski. Once again, the connection between Williams and tight end Colston Loveland was on display, as Brad Biggs noted Williams found Loveland "on some out routes in the red zone a few times" during 7-on-7.

#williams #padded #bears #biggs

Confidence has never been in short supply for three-time Glory Kickboxing World Champion Marat Grigorian, and that self-belief shows no signs of wavering as he heads into his next test at The Inner Circle 25.
The Armenian knockout machine carries that same conviction into the first round of the eight-man ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament against Russian standout Mamuka Usubyan.
Their clash will be part of several exciting matchups on the Asia primetime spectacle inside Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium, which will broadcast live exclusively to subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Grigorian arrives on the back of a three-fight winning streak. Two of those victories ended in highlight-reel fashion, first against Abdelali "Black Diamond" Zahidi, then against Kaito at ONE SAMURAI 1 this past April in Tokyo.
Sandwiched between those finishes was a hard-fought win over Rukiya "Demolition Man" Anpo at ONE 173, a rivalry that carried its own share of fireworks.

#first #live #confidence #champion

So, watch any good movies lately? I hear The Odyssey is pretty good.
It's the original hero's journey, you know? The template on which the most compelling stories humans tell each other are based. We search for that narrative everywhere we go, in every part of our lives. We seek it out in sports, an outlet which allows these tales of great challenges followed by heroic deeds to pour out before our eyes, unmediated by the artifice of the stage or the page.
The Yankees looked as if they had completed the hero's journey on Monday night in the Bronx. Tumbling to a 6-0 deficit after a clunker of a start from ace Cam Schlittler, the heretofore moribund Yankee offense appeared to rewrite their fate with an inspiring seven-run rally, capped off by a home run in the seventh from new arrival Luis García Jr. A sellout crowd which thought they had bought a ticket to a boring, tepid contest rose to their feet in delirium.
The bullpen did not get a single out in the eighth before all the offense's accomplishments were but a pile of ash in the dumpster behind the nearby sandwich shop. Home run after home run left the Cardinals' bats against Angel Chivilli in a seven-run eighth which sealed an ignominious and deeply unsatisfying fate for the Yankees: a 13-7 final score which wound up ***** uming the shape it had always promised to take, a laugher.
First, the initial deficit. Schlittler had nothing working on the mound tonight, allowing Cardinals to cross the plate in every inning of a meager three-frame performance. He walked five batters, struggled with his mechanics, and forced a heavily-taxed bullpen to try to summon 21 outs. First baseman Alec Burleson provided the first big blow with a first inning home run, the opening volley of what would wind up being a hat trick for him on the night.

#good

Every IPO arrives with a promise. The market's job is to decide whether that promise deserves a premium or a reality check. That was the story on July 30, when Jersey Mike's Subs (JMKE) made its long-awaited debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Backed by Blackstone (BX) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the sandwich chain came to Wall Street with plenty of excitement, pricing its IPO at $23 per share.
The offering raised roughly $913 million, valuing the company at about $7.3 billion, with proceeds earmarked primarily to reduce debt and support general corporate needs. But instead of taking a victory lap, the stock stumbled out of the gate. Shares opened at $21 and ended their first trading session down about 5.7%, a reminder that even the hottest IPOs don't always get an "instant" standing ovation.
CoreWeave Just Scored a Leidos Partnership. What That Means for CRWV Stock Here.
Palantir Is Set to Deliver Strong Q2. ******* ysts See 60% Upside Potential for PLTR Stock.
Earnings, PMI and Other Key Things to Watch this Week

#jmke #backed

When Peter Cancro was 17, he took out a loan to buy the sandwich shop he worked at in Jersey Shore. Fifty-one years later, that shop has grown into a nearly 3,300-location national chain — and as of July 30, a publicly traded company.
Jersey Mike's went public at about a $7 billion valuation, with shares pricing in the middle of their IPO range before slipping slightly in early trading, according to Business Insider.
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Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

#shop #shore #fifty

The Yankees blew a late lead against the Chicago Cubs to even the series following their 5-2 loss on Saturday night.
-- In his third start since returning from the IL due to a bone bruise in his left elbow, Max Fried was dominant over 5.1 innings. His only blemish came in the first inning after a leadoff walk to Pete Crow-Armstrong was followed by two wild pitches that sandwiched a groundout that advanced the runner to third base and scored the game's first run without a hit.
From there, the left-hander didn't allow a baserunner until Alex Bregman gave the Cubs their first hit with a one-out single in the fourth. However, Fried easily disposed of the next two batters to end the inning unharmed.
-- It was the next half inning that the bottom of the Yankees' lineup helped their starting pitcher out and got on the board to tie things up.
After two quick outs, Spencer Jones reached base on a fielding error by first baseman Michael Busch. That opening allowed the next batter, Ali Sanchez, to sneak one through the right side for a base hit before Jose Caballero capped the two-out rally with a run-scoring single to right field.

#next

Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman left the Scotstoun track on Wednesday morning to the sound of The Proclaimers singing about walking 500 miles. On Saturday night, much of the attention will be on 13 men running just one.
The meeting of the two Scots over that mile distance at the Commonwealth Games - just before 21:00 BST - feels like the moment Glasgow 2026 has been building to.
Kerr, the fastest man ever over the distance. And Wightman, who preceded his compatriot as world champion over 1500m four years ago.
Childhood pals from Edinburgh who've been racing in this bit of Glasgow's west end since they were juniors. Bad beatings, grim weather, long car journeys along the M8 with sandwiches for sustenance are in their shared history.
And now they are back at Scotstoun. Different, but the same. Both determined to win gold for Scotland in the historic, reinstated, Blue Riband event of these Games.

#scotstoun #proclaimers

While in Seattle last summer, one thing I noticed at their ballpark was a preponderance of Nintendo advertising—from player sleeves to wall signs to between-inning ads. Well, tonight—okay, now last night—the Minnesota Twins navigated all the platform stages and slid down the flagpole victorious!
After Twins' bats went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, MN SP Zebby Matthews struck out the side in B1. The problem? Zebby's K's were sandwiched around two walks (both on four pitches) and RBI doubles from Dominic Canzone & Cal Raleigh. 2-0 SEA.
Loading the bases for Cool Cal rarely works out well for the opposition.(Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images)
Fortunately, tonight the Twins didn't wait until the ninth inning to start scoring. After a leadoff walk drawn by Josh "Ring The" Bell against Seattle SP Bryce Miller, with two outs Brooks "General" Lee smashed a sphere 367 feet and beyond T-Mobile Park's RF fence! 2-2 tie.
Brooks bomb! (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images)

#twins #Seattle #images #well

Our ****** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Blackstone picked quite a week to sell Italian subs to the market, but maybe that's exactly the moment to take a breath, look around, and put some faith (and some capital) in the enduring magic of provolone and Danny DeVito.
Jersey Mike's priced its IPO at $23 a share Tuesday night, the same 24 hours the Nasdaq officially slid into correction and 3 Fed officials staged a mutiny against their own chair. Demand did not care. The deal went ten times oversubscribed, raised roughly $1 billion, and became the largest US consumer listing of the year, landing dead center of its $21-to-25 range.
That said, chatter around this deal earlier floated a valuation closer to $12 billion. It priced nearer $7.3 billion instead, a hair above the $8 billion Blackstone paid for majority control back in 2024. If you're tasting a little red wine vinegar in those numbers, you're on to something. Ten times oversubscribed, and the sandwich shop still landed below what its own private buyer thought it was worth 2 years ago. That's gotta make Steve Schwarzman feel a little stugatz about the whole deal.
JMKE shares are open to the public Thursday, but roughly 86% of the company's voting power stays exactly where it's lived since 2024: tucked inside the world's largest private equity shop.

#around #priced

Jersey Mike's (JMKE) made its public debut on Thursday at $21 per share, and investors were eager to get a bite of the sandwich chain.
The company, backed by Blackstone Inc. (BX) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, offered more than 43 million shares. It opened just below its initial public offering (IPO) price of $23, raising $913 million and valuing the company at $7.3 billion. It is now officially listed under the ticker symbol "JMKE" on the New York Stock Exchange.
Blackstone took a majority stake in the chain in November of 2024 and soon after tapped industry veteran and former WingStop (WING) CEO Charlie Morrison to lead the company.
This public debut, which is one of the largest in the restaurant industry, marks the next chapter for the Point Pleasant, New Jersey-based chain, but the business is already booming.
According to the regulatory filing, Jersey Mike's same-store sales grew by 50% between 2020 and 2025. In 2025, systemwide sales increased 13% year over year to reach $4.3 billion.

#blackstone #debut

Jersey Mike's (JMKE) made its public debut on Thursday at $21 per share, and investors were eager to get a bite of the sandwich chain.
The company, backed by Blackstone Inc. (BX) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, offered more than 43 million shares. It opened just below its initial public offering (IPO) price of $23, raising $913 million and valuing the company at $7.3 billion. It is now officially listed under the ticker symbol "JMKE" on the New York Stock Exchange.
Blackstone took a majority stake in the chain in November of 2024 and soon after tapped industry veteran and former WingStop (WING) CEO Charlie Morrison to lead the company.
This public debut, which is one of the largest in the restaurant industry, marks the next chapter for the Point Pleasant, New Jersey-based chain, but the business is already booming.
According to the regulatory filing, Jersey Mike's same-store sales grew by 50% between 2020 and 2025. In 2025, systemwide sales increased 13% year over year to reach $4.3 billion.

#chain #company #billion #industry

Economic issues have forced another franchisee of the nation's largest fast-food chain, Subway, to file for bankruptcy protection, as the restaurant sector continues to battle rising costs.
Subway Sandwich Shop franchisee Cherry ****** e Company, which operates three North Dakota locations, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize its businesses, according to BankruptcyObserver.
The Regent, N.D.-based Subway franchisee filed its Subchapter V petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota on July 21, listing over $19,000 in ****** ets and over $1.8 million in debts, according to court documents.
The debtor did not give a reason for filing for bankruptcy in its petition. Debtor counsel Karl Johnson of MJB Law Firm PLLC was not immediately available for comment.
The debtor's largest unsecured creditors include the U.S. Small Business Administration, owed over $487,000; Dakota Western Bank, owed over $394,000, Grasshopper Bank, owed over $343,000; TVT Capital Source LLC, owed $240,000; Glenridge Capital LLC, owed over $130,000; and Byzfunder NY LLC, owed $128,000.

#bank

If you've ever spent a Saturday afternoon in the north of Rome, you'll know that the air feels different when Lazio are playing at home. It's a mixture of nervous energy, the scent of roasting meat from street stalls, and a very specific kind of quiet tension that hums through the crowds heading toward the Stadio Olimpico.
For the Biancocelesti faithful, a match isn't just ninety minutes of football; it's a complex dance with fate. In Italy, they have a word for this that goes beyond simple superstition: Scaramanzia. It's the art of fending off bad luck. It's the belief that if you wear the wrong socks, take the wrong bridge over the Tiber, or speak too confidently about a win, you'll personally be responsible for a last-minute goal from the opposition. While some might call it irrational, for those in the Curva Nord, it's a science.
The journey to the stadium usually starts at the Ponte Milvio. This ancient bridge, famous for its history and more recently for its "love locks," serves as the psychological gateway for Lazio fans. You'll see thousands of supporters gathered here, and if you look closely, you'll notice the patterns. It isn't just about getting a drink before the game; it's about the repetition of specific actions that have "worked" in the past.
I've spoken to fans who have worn the same faded shirt to every home game for a decade. It doesn't matter if it's thirty degrees in August or freezing in January; that shirt is a lucky charm. If they wash it, they're washing the luck away. It sounds absurd to an outsider, but when you're standing in the middle of a crowd of passionate Italians, you start to believe it too.
The food rituals are just as strict. Many fans won't dream of entering the stadium without a specific meal at a specific stall near the bridge. Whether it's a porchetta sandwich or a simple slice of pizza, the consistency provides a sense of control over an outcome that is, in reality, entirely out of their hands. It's a way of grounding themselves before the emotional rollercoaster begins.

#fans #lazio #isn 't #luck

As health officials investigate a multistate cyclospora outbreak, so far linked to recalled iceberg lettuce, many Americans are asking the same question after eating a salad or sandwich: Should I be worried?
Federal health officials have linked shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states to a subset of the outbreak, prompting the fast-food chain to pull Taylor Farms lettuce from its food.
Additionally, Taylor Farms de Mexico has recalled certain iceberg lettuce products sold at Walmart under the Marketside brand and distributed to restaurants and other food-service customers.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently addressed the spread of cyclosporiasis, telling reporters during a July 21 news briefing that "we do have the outbreak under control."
"We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics, and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall," Kennedy added.

#Health #farms #linked

PHILADELPHIA — While Shohei Ohtani is sitting out the All-Star Game with an inflamed knee, it’s his shoes that are generating headlines around the world.
Ohtani’s New Balance Ohtani 1 shoes that he wore in the 2025 Tokyo Series in the Dodgers’ season opener at the Tokyo Dome goes on the auction block Monday on TheRealest.com.
It is expected to generate perhaps more money than any shoes ever worn by a baseball player.
The shoes are the first ones Ohtani ever wore playing Major League Baseball games in ***** an, and is signed in his rare ***** anese Kanji signature. The shoes also feature images of his dog, Decoy, including the infield dirt.
“I think this is the most significant baseball footwear to ever hit the market," said Scott Keeney, The Realest founder and CEO. “Not much Ohtani memorabilia, especially cleats, have ever hit the open market. We think that these are so significant because it was his debut major league baseball game in ***** an, sandwiched between his two World Series victories.

Conor McGregor made his Ultimate Fighting Championship return atop an action-packed UFC 329 card that ended with a whimper. The welterweight main event saw “Notorious” take on Max Holloway in a rematch of their 2013 fight that never really got started. The finish-filled card also had important fights in the lightweight, bantamweight and flyweight divisions.

Here are the matches to make for the UFC 329 main card winners.
Holloway (28-9) finally got revenge on McGregor (22-7), but it wasn’t how he wanted to after McGregor suffered a knee injury. Regardless, “Blessed” is now 2-1 in his last three fights, with a deflating loss to Charles Oliveira sandwiched between wins over Dustin Poirier and McGregor. I’d like to see Holloway take on Pimblett next, as “The Baddie” submitted Benoit St. Denis with a Peruvian necktie. It was an impressive showing for the British fighter, who proved he deserves to be among the elite at 155 pounds. Both men are among the most entertaining at lightweight and it’d be a stellar action fight after Holloway’s disappointing showings against Oliveira and McGregor.
Bautista battled back from early adversity to take a decision win and get revenge against Cody Sandhagen, who beat him in 2019. The American is now 10-1 in his last 11 bouts inside the Octagon, with the lone defeat coming to Umar Nurmagomedov. While he called for a ******* le shot, that doesn’t seem likely with champion Petr Yan having major rematches against Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley as possible ******* le defenses. Instead, a fight against the underrated Barcelos would make sense. The Brazilian is on a five-fight win streak that includes victories over Ricky Simon, Payton Talbott and Cody Garbrandt. It’s a great stay-busy fight against a tough foe that will allow the log jam at the top of the division to figure itself out.
Royval capped off an impressive back-and-forth war with flyweight prospect Lone'er Kavanagh with a rare-naked choke. That snaps a two-fight winning streak for"Raw Dawg," who fell short to Manel Kape and Joshua Van in recent fights. Royval (18-9) called out Almabayev for his next Octagon appearance in a rare post-fight callout that makes total sense. It's a fresh fight and one that will give Almabayev (24-3) the chance to get the biggest win of his career. The Kazakhstani fighter is currently on a three-fight win streak, with wins over Charles Johnson and Alex Perez being particularly impressive. Whoever emerges victorious will be a solid contender in one of mixed martial arts' best divisions.

The Mets were shut out by the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, losing by a score of 4-0.
-- Facing rookie pitcher Eduardo Rivera, who was making his first career start and just second career appearance in the majors – his first coming on April 22 against the Yankees, the Mets’ offense was befuddled all day.
Against Rivera, recalled from Triple-A before the game to start in place of the injured Ranger Suarez, New York mustered one hit during the lefty’s 3.2 innings. The brilliant Boston pitching didn’t stop there as four Red Sox relievers combined to pitch 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.
-- The Mets had chances to score, though, mostly thanks to seven walks on the day. In the second, Carson Benge led off with a walk and stole second base but was left stranded. New York loaded the bases in the seventh following two walks sandwiched in between a single, but A.J. Ewing struck out looking to end the threat. An inning later, Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor had back-to-back walks but the Mets couldn’t score after a flyout and a double play.
-- Francisco Alvarez had two of New York’s three hits on the day, one of them an infield single in the fifth. Meanwhile, Brett Baty’s 10-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-for-3 day, although he reached base safely with a walk.

CHICAGO — Since last Wednesday, Payton Tolle had thought about his last outing — a three-inning start in which he allowed a season-high six runs on seven hits.
The Red Sox lefty thought about it on the flight out to Anaheim that night, and with two off-days on the schedule sandwiched around the series with the Angels, he had even more time to ruminate.
But apparently, he put his time to good use. Tuesday was his opportunity to flush that memory.
“I had a recalibration, a reset,” said Tolle after he blanked the Chicago White Sox over six innings in the Red Sox’ 8-1 win at Rate Field. “I needed it a little bit. It was good. The last outing, I was out of character, is probably the best way to put it. I was kind of getting nitpicky and not really flying through the zone. I thought we did a better job of that in this game. I was able to press the right **** ons and come back out here and compete.
“Those (poor outings) are going to happen. But you learn and go on to the next (one). And we needed it. So we learned a lot about ourselves.”

Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Blackstone has moved to exit another of its top-performing portfolio companies, this time iconic American sandwich chain Jersey Mike's Subs.
The New Jersey-based business, known as much for its subs as it is for its ******* ociation with actor and superfan Danny DeVito, filed an S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, paving the way for a debut on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "JMKE."
The number of shares on offer and the price range have yet to be disclosed.
Proceeds will be used, in part, to pay down a portion of the $760 million of debt the company took on earlier this year to refinance existing borrowings from 2019 and 2021, to make debt repayments and to fund a dividend payout to its sponsor, Blackstone, according to the filing.

The Mariners attempted to prop up their flagging bullpen today, trading out lefty Josh Simpson for righty Cole Wilcox.
With the Mariners past the Oops! All Lefties Guardians lineup, there’s no need for an extra lefty in the ‘pen, but Simpson didn’t make a strong argument to stay, providing the bottom bread in the disaster sandwich that was the Mariners’ meltdown eighth inning in one of the most unpleasant games I’ve recapped yet this season. For Simpson, the issue remains command. Wilcox hasn’t been the picture of pinpoint command – or he has, if that picture was drawn by someone who’d consumed ten double espressos while riding a Gravitron – but the thing Wilcox does bring is an ability to work multiple innings, something that’s useful for the bullpen-impoverished Mariners, down a man due to the fluctuating piggyback strategy.
Wilcox is carrying a rough-looking ERA of over five in Triple-A, but his peripherals are good: his FIP and xERA are both about half that, and he’s striking out over a third of batters faced while keeping his walks in check. It’s the walks that were the pain point for Wilcox in his first go-round with the big-league club in April, when he flashed solid strikeout stuff but also walked almost as many hitters as he struck out. That issue has calmed down significantly in his time at the notoriously hitter-friendly PCL, where he’s also collected a pair of saves.
Wilcox was my Pile Pick this spring training but his command issues caused Alex Hoppe to leapfrog him in the pecking order. Hoppe had his own struggles, however, and was optioned down to Triple-A three days ago. With Hoppe ineligible to be recalled from Triple-A for at least another week, Wilcox has some runway for another audition to the big-league club as they continue to search for consistency in the bullpen. And as a fun bonus, Wilcox has brought along a good luck charm this time that he keeps in his locker: a bobblehead of former Georgia teammate Emerson Hancock given away at Foley Field this May – a reminder from one Bulldog to another that the path to a big-league career doesn’t always run smoothly.

CROMWELL – While leaders Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland failed to separate from the pack in the final round of the Travelers Championship on Sunday, World No. 9 Collin Morikawa came charging from nine shots back.
He had just gotten into the clubhouse at 20-under and devoured an ice cream sandwich when the round was delayed for 80 minutes due to dangerous weather conditions.
“I was selfishly hoping they would keep playing, but you want everyone to be safe and it’s a waiting game now,” he admitted, before the leaders finished tied at 21-under to set up a playoff on Monday morning.
Morikawa, a two-time major champion and U.S. Olympian, found himself atop the leaderboard with Scheffler at 20-under after he hit a bunker shot to 8-feet, 11-inches on the 18th green and made birdie to finish his round – best of the day – at 9-under-par 61.
Travelers Championship set for Monday playoff between Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland

The Wendy's Company named Steve Cirulis as its chief financial officer and chief strategy officer on Monday, bringing in a former Potbelly executive who previously partnered with Wendy's new CEO on a restaurant turnaround.
Cirulis, 55, most recently served as CFO and chief strategy officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he and Wendy's President and CEO Bob Wright worked together. Their tenure at Potbelly delivered results the company described as a more than 500% rise in share price, alongside double-digit average unit volume growth and meaningful expansion in restaurant margins. Cirulis left Potbelly in December 2025, the company said.
His resume prior to Potbelly includes stints at Panera Bread, McDonald's, and Gap, Inc., which Wendy's said amounts to nearly 30 years of experience spanning restaurant and retail.
Cirulis succeeds Ken Cook, who has served as CFO since 2024 and will remain in an advisory capacity through July. Kirk Tanner's unexpected exit prompted Wendy's to install Cook as interim CEO, a role he held from July 2025 until Wright's appointment in May 2026. In recognition of that service, the company said it will provide Cook with 24 months of salary continuation rather than the standard 12 months.
"Driving solid financial discipline, topline growth and enhanced franchisee profitability are essential to our future success," Wright said in a statement. "I am confident that Steve will play a critical role as we execute the turnaround of Wendy's."

Michigan State hockey will open the 2026-27 season against in-state, non-conference foe.
The Spartans will open the season with a home, two-game series against Northern Michigan in early October. Michigan State revealed their non-conference slate of games earlier this week, with a return trip by the Wildcats marking as the season-opening series.
Michigan State will officially open the 2026-27 season on October 9 against Northern Michigan. The second leg of that two-game series will come on Sunday, with a home football game against Illinois sandwiched in-between the Friday and Sunday games.
Along with their opening series against Northern Michigan, Michigan State confirmed they'll be playing North Dakota (in a neutral site game in Texas), road trip to New Hampshire and a trip to Rochester, New York for a matchup against RIT to round out the October slate.
The remaining non-conference slate includes a home two-game series against Boston University in November and the annual Great Lakes Invitational in late December.